Hi guys! Remember me? Haha. Actually umabot 'tong chapter na 'to sa 20 pages sa MS Word, sobrang haba nung nasulat kong update kaya lang napaisip ako't napagdesisyunan kong putulin. Haha. Kasi pinopost ko rin 'to sa FB eh. Mahihirapan naman mag-basa 'yung mga fb users. XD
Sana lang pala naaalala niyo pa 'yung simulang chapters ng Love-Nat. Medyo babalikan kasi natin 'yung mga ilang eksena sa chapter na 'to. :) Anyhow, I hope magustuhan niyo 'to.
SORRY TALAGA KUNG SOBRANG TAGAL. XD
At kung mapapansin niyo 'yung ibang characters tulad nila Japo at Borge eh laging puro "HINTS" lang 'yung binibigay ko tungkol sa kanilang mga love story. Gusto ko kasi 'tong love-nat eh para lang talaga kanila Ellie at Sef. If ever na mabigyan pa ko ng chance na makapag-sulat in the future, balak ko talaga gumawa ng Love-Nat series na kung saan ikikwento ko 'yung ibang love story ng mga friends ni Ellie.
Pero ito dapat (sana) yung magiging flow ng Love-Nat Series:
1.) Love-NAT, isang makulit na love story!
2.) Love-NOT, ang pag-ibig kong ayaw na ayaw mo!
3.) Love-NUT, crazy in love!
Tapos meron lang mga side stories for Sara, Meg, Em-Em, Kuya Matt, pati sila Tata Perding kasama. Hahaha.
Oh 'di ba bongga? Ganun sana kahaba!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA. Pero hanggang plano na lang 'yun. Nasa utak ko na lang 'yung istorya. Anyway. Medyo napahaba na 'tong litanya ko. On with the story. :)
Sana ma-enjoy niyo. Hehehe. <3
------------
Chapter 57-3. Truthe Bites! Rawr!
-------------
Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan
The moment Sef let go of my hand…
Pakiramdam ko binitawan ako mula sa ere and I’m free falling from the sky with nothing - no one - to catch me. I felt my heart just broke into thousand pieces… and I have no idea how I’m still standing in his room and still breathing.
I leaned against Sef’s bedroom door, my eyes casted down my feet. Tahimik kaming dalawa, nakaupo siya dun sa sofa sa kabilang sulok nung kuwarto niya.
We let the sound of rain drown us.
We let the whistle of the wild wind outside fill in the silence between us.
I wanted to shout and to yell at Sef. Gusto ko siyang awayin! Pero hindi ko mahanap ‘yung boses ko. Gusto kong mag-walk out palabas nung kuwarto niya, kaya lang ayaw gumalaw ng mga paa ko. Ilang beses na kaming nag-away ng gagung ‘to. Katunayan, nag-simula naman talaga kaming laging nagaaway. Pero iba ‘yung ngayon… iba ‘yung itsura ng mukha ni Sef habang naka-upo siya, habang nakatitig siya sa’kin na tila ba naghihintay lang sa kung anong gagawin o sasabihin ko.
Ibang-iba talaga ‘yung away namin ngayon kasi… nasasaktan ako.
Anakshuta naman!!!
Pa’no ba gumulo ng ganito ‘yung mundo ko? Isa lang naman akong hamak na accounting student mula sa Matute University of the Philippines. Katunayan tahimik lang ang takbo ng buhay ko noon at kadalasan lang umiikot sa pagkain, pangongopya at kay John Lloyd Cruz. Oh ‘di ba? Kaya kong ikuwento ang talambuhay ko sa loob lang ng isang pangungusap… pero ngayon… ANG GULO-GULO! Animales na ‘yan! Ang gulo-gulo talaga!
Sumulyap ako sa direksyon ni Sef at para kong napaso sa mga titig niya. Dati, para kong nasa alapaap na buhat-buhat ng mga anghel papuntang langit sa tuwing nakatingin siya sa akin… ngayon… parang binabalatan ako ng buhay at mas lalong sumasakit habang tumatagal… Pakiramdam ko pa, sa’kin nga siya nakatingin pero iba naman ang nakikita niya – si Lianne.
I looked away from Sef as fast as I could. Nagpapasalamat ako’t naubos na ‘yung luha ko kay Max kanina… kasi kung hindi, pakiramdam ko dito ko mismo hahagulgol.
Napaka-unfair naman kasi ni Sef eh. Sa mga kumakampi sa kanya, sige! Damayan niyo siya! Pero pakiusap lang ‘wag niyo kong husgahan. Siguro nga isang malaking kagagahan ‘yung ginawa ko – na sabihing kaibigan lang niya ko. Siguro katangahan na i-deny ko siya… pero pusang-gala naman talaga!!! Pa’no ko ba sasabihing girlfriend ako sa BABE ni Sef? PAANO? I was the one who felt denied in the first place. Ako ‘yung unang nakaramdam nun! AKO! Sinong anakshutang animales ang gagawing contact picture ‘yung masayang magkahawak ng kaway sila ng ex niya? Tapos hindi pa nakontento at hindi man lang binago ‘yung pangalan!!!
BABE?!
Pusang-gala talaga!!!
Tapos sa tono ng pagsasalita ni Lianne kanina… nung akala niyang ako si Sef… pakiramdam ko ako si Bea Alonzo sa The Mistress at higit sa lahat, ako si Maja Salvador sa The Legal Wife!!!
Nakakatawa talaga. Lahat ng taong nakapalibot kay Sef, walang ibang bukang bibig kung hindi si Lianne. Oo, aminado naman akong medyo apektado ko kahit noon pa man, kahit nung unang beses pa lang siyang nabanggit sa’kin ni Yaya Kusing… pero kahit ganun I just never took it so damn seriously. Iniisip ko naman kasi, WALA na ‘yun. Siguro tapos naman na ‘yung sa kanila. At saka, hindi ko naman nakita si Sef na nahirapan o nag-struggle dahil sa Lianne na ‘yun. I just assumed na baka naman… nakalimot na siya.
Lahat nang nakakalaam tungkol sa kanilang dalawa eh NAIPAMUKHA na sa’kin kung gaano naging seryoso ang isang Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde sa Lianne na ‘yun. Pero kahit laging nababanggit sa’kin si Lianne, hindi ko lubos akalain na ganito pala talaga kalala ‘yung sitwasyon. NO STORY prepared me for this moment. NOTHING prepared my heart from hurting like this.
Partida, tawag pa lang ‘yan sa cellphone ganito na agad katindi ‘yung epekto sa’kin… what more kung makita ko silang magkasama ni Sef in person? Punyemassss!!!
At sa puntong ito… gusto ko sanang kay Sef naman manggaling kung sino ba talaga si Lianne.
I want to know.
I want to hear it.
I want the TRUTH.
This time, coming from him.
“Sino ba talaga si --Lianne?” I asked, and I could hear my voice trembling. Saying her name felt like knives cutting deep in my skin.
Hindi ko alam kung narinig ba ko ni Sef kasi isinandal lang niya‘yung likod niya dun sa sofa at pinikit ‘yung mga mata niya.
“Lianne.” He repeated with his eyes still closed. Para bang ayaw niya kong tignan. Siguro ayaw niyang makita kung pa’no niya ko sasaktan ngayon. “She’s a very important person to me.” Hindi EX, hindi man lang friend eh. Ibang klase rin ‘tong si Sef. Walang paligoy-ligoy. Tagos agad sa PUSO ‘yung sagot niya sa’kin. “Nasa L.A ako when I met her.” He continued. “Kasama niya nun si Enzo, they were hanging out in a café close to my University. She caught my attention because she was laughing, and the moment I looked at her I thought she’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. Kaya lang napa-iling na lang ako’t nanghinayang coz I thought she’s probably just one of the girls my cousin’s sleeping with. Si Enzo pa, he’ll do anyone as long as they can wear a damn skirt.” Sef scoffed, slowly opening his eyes to stare up the ceiling.
Tahimik lang akong nakikinig sa kanya habang pinagmamasdan siya. Hindi ko nga napansing, nakakapit na ko sa dibdib ko as if I’m trying to stop it from bleeding. Oh eh ‘di ba gusto mo kwentuhan ka ni Sef? Oh eh di ayan!!! MAGDUSA KA ELLIE!!!
“Little did I know, Lianne and I were living in the same apartment. Siya pala ‘yung bagong kapit-bahay ko. Umalis kasi‘yung dating tenant nun coz’ he can’t stand the noise me and my friends made everytime we host a party.” He gave a soft laugh, completely lost in his past. “I feel sorry for that old man.” Nakatitig pa rin siya sa ceiling na para bang meron siyang pinapanood dun na hindi ko nakikita. “But Lianne? Huh. Everytime na magpa-party kami, she would knock on the door and give us a plate of freshly baked cookies. And with a sweet smile she would ask us to keep it down. She never had an argument with me.” Pagka-sabi ni Sef nun. Tinamaan nanaman ako. Eh pa’no nung kaming dalawa, para kaming aso’t pusa sa kakaaway!!!
“Akala ko noon she was just probably pretending to be a sweet, innocent girl. Kaya mas lalo akong nainis coz I know Enzo does not hang out with nice girls. Never. So hinayaan ko lang siya, mas lalo ko pang nilalakasan ‘yung sounds. Sabi ko mapapagod din yun. But one night, nagulat na lang ako ng bigla siyang kumatok dala-dala lahat ng libro niya sa school at pumasok siya, umupo sa may dining table ko at nag-aral habang nagpa-party kaming lahat. I watched her that night, she was trying so hard to focus, to study. And when I saw her bit her lip and close to crying I felt guilty.” Napangiti si Sef. “Pinauwi ko tuloy lahat ng mga kaibigan ko nung gabing yun. The party ended early for the first time. At natawa ko sa kanya coz I remember her crying and telling me, kung nandun lang daw sana ‘yung best friend niyang nasa Pilipinas siguradong lagot daw ako.” Sef closed his eyes again and sighed. “That was the start of us being friends. Although, I was still kind of rude to her at times, she just knows how to deal with me. I was a mess. I always am. I was rebellious; I thought I’m invincible! I was trying to prove a point that I don’t need anyone in my life. Na kaya kong mabuhay ng mag-isa. That I don’t care if everyone around me leaves me. Ganun naman lagi ‘yung nangyayari eh. I’m the one who is always left alone. But Lianne, she always has that sweet, crunchy cookies ready for me. She’s just always there. Her and her cookies.” Sef licked his lower lip as if he’s mouth had gone dry. “Before I knew it, she had me around her fingers. Sinigurado niyang mali ako – that I can’t live alone, that I need someone, that I need her.”
Sa puntong ‘to hindi ko namalayang tumigil na pala ko sa pag-hinga. Ellie, ano ka ba naman? MASOKISTA KA BANG TALAGA?!?! Ano bang peg mo‘teh? Bakit ka ganyan? Gusto ko na ngang takpan ang mga tenga ko para hindi ko na marinig ‘yung susunod pa niyang sasabihin. Ayoko na ata! Hindi ko na kaya.
Totoo nga pala talaga ‘yung sinabi nilang, TRUTH BITES!!!
And it also damn HURTS.
“Everything was perfect between us until I had to screw it up.” Patuloy ni Sef. Kung nakatingin lang sana siya sa’kin ngayon sigurado kong hindi na niya magagawang ituloy ‘yung istorya niya. “I came to visit her and her dad one night. Her dad’s an amazing, humble man. He entertained me and we were having a long, nice conversation when he said thanks to me for not stopping her daughter from going to Singapore to handle their family business. Nagulat ako, I mean, Lianne never told me that – she never mentioned anything about leaving.” He scoffed, and it was bitter and it was painful. “At that moment I thought, ‘Shit! Maiiwan nanaman ako!’So, I panicked and without thinking, I did the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.” He seemed to hold his breathe before going on. “I asked her to get engaged to me. Naisip ko kasi, that’s what my brother did with Elena anyways.” Tumawa si Sef, ‘yung mapait na tawa. It sounded so wrong and I felt my heart ached even more. “Well, do you really want me to go into details about how she said no? How I came running here in Manila and how I tried to fix my life for 2 gaddamn years?”
I know I should be running outside that room. Just turn my back and leave. But the thing is, I’ve never seen this dark, lonely side of Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde. Since the day I met him, all he ever did was give the world his most charming smile. But right here, right in this room… Ito ‘yung totoo. Here is a guy who is just scared to be alone. THIS IS THE TRUTH! Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde is nothing but a big, dump of mess and finding that out made me love him more than I did ten seconds ago.
I was looking at him and I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Gusto ko siyang lapitan. Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya, ang tanga-tanga niya kasi NANDITO naman ako. Hindi ba niya alam na siya mismo ang magmamaka-awa sa’kin para lang lubayan ko siya? Siya mismo ang susuko sa’kin para lang tantanan ko siya!
Sef then shut his eyes once more and took one deep breath as if he just got air for the first time. And the moment he opened his eyes… Sa akin na siya mismo nakatingin.
My heart throbbed painfully than ever.
“And this… this is the part where you come in.” He said; his stare was warm and gentle. At parang pakiramdam ko dahan-dahang nawawala ‘yung kirot sa dibdib ko.
Ayan, ayan! Mas gusto ko na ‘tong part na ‘to! Mas gusto ko marinig ‘yung parteng kasama na ko. Pinipigilan ko tuloy ‘yung sarili kong sabihin kay Sef na ipagpatuloy na niya ‘yung kuwento niya.
This time, it’s his turn to tell his side of our story. Siya naman. Ito ang Love-Nat version 2.0 in McDonalds style!
“When we met in the men’s washroom,”Medyo napangiti si Sef pagka-sabi niya nun. Syempre naaalala ko ‘yun. Tandang-tanda ko pa ‘yung eksena sa CR na ‘yun! At alam ko kung bakit siya natatawa.“Nag-punta lang talaga ko sa MUP dahil nagbabaka-sakali akong makita ko si Matt. Japo told me that Elena was working there and I just… want to see my brother. I actually don’t know what you were up to. Nasa huling cubicle ako nun, and I don’t know if you were aware that you were not, in fact, alone in that washroom. I have no idea where you came from, I just heard you singing and I thought, is this girl crazy?” Unti-unti kong nararamdamang nagiinit ‘yung mga pisngi ko. Anakshutang animales naman!!! Nakakahiya palang pakinggan ‘yung mga kagagahan ko lalo na kung mula kay Sef!!! “Since gusto mong kumanta, naisip ko na baka gusto mo rin ng ka-duet. But your reaction was not what I was expecting. You went out looking like you’ve seen a ghost. Naaalala ko pa ‘yung itsura mo nun.” He laughed, and it was different from the one he gave when he was telling his story about Lianne. It was the kind of laugh that I’m familiar with, the kind that makes my heart flutter every single time I hear it. “You know what,” This time, hindi niya na inalis ‘yung titig niya sa’kin. Sige lang! Gusto ko sa’kin lang siya nakatingin! Gusto ko ako lang ‘yung nakikita niya! “That was the first time in my entire life that someone made me laugh so hard! I was smiling that entire day because of you. Naisip ko, I want to meet that girl again. I want to know her name. And I just want to be friends with her.”
Friends? Friends lang?
Pero sige na nga… puwede na rin…
BA-DUMP!!!
Paskyet na buhay ‘to!!!
Si Sef lang talaga ang nakakapag-laro ng ganito sa puso ko. Lechugas ‘yan!
“At that time, meron kaming party sa Eastwood, sa The Minor.” He looked at me as if he’s trying to see if I still remember. Aba, syempre TANDANG-TANDA ko ‘yun!!! ‘Di ba? LAHAT TAYO ALAM NA ALAM ‘YUN!!! Haha. “I told Japo and Nico to invite MUP students. Kahit sino imbitado. I was actually hoping you’ll be there.” He scratched the back of his head as if he’s getting embarrassed with his sudden confession. Ako naman, nakatitig lang sa kanya. Seryoso ba ‘to? Totoo ba mga sinasabi nitong lalaking ‘to? OMGGGEEEED!!! Sorry na lang talaga si Babe. Hahaha. Oh ayan, sumisigla nanaman ako! Sige pa Sef, pag-patuloy mo pa ‘yan! Hahaha. “Just imagine my surprise when I spotted you in the corner. Tinitigan muna kita, I just want to make sure you were the same girl in the men’s washroom. Naka-simangot ka kasi nung mga oras na ‘yun.” Oo, ‘yun yung nangako sa’kin si Japo na maraming pagkain dun. At nang malaman kong puro mani at beer lang pala ‘yung ihahanda sa harapan ko, gusto ko na lang talagang mag-wala nung mga sandaling ‘yun. “Lalapit na sana ko sa’yo, kaya lang bigla kang lumabas nung bar tapos hinarang pa ko ni Japo dahil tinuturo niya sa’kin ‘yung crush daw niya. Si Jill.” Hindi ko na mapigilan ‘yung ngiti ko sa mukha. There was something about all these that made me take a step forward, making my way towards him. Naka-upo lang siya dun, patuloy lang sa pagkekwento at patuloy lang sa pagtitig sa mga mata ko.
Like he placed me under an enchantment…
Like an invisible hand was pulling me towards him…
“The moment I got free from the crowd. I tried to go after you but you were nowhere in sight, until I saw you running in a dark alleyway. Hindi ko naman talaga sinasadyang galitin ka nun, gusto ko lang talaga makipag-usap sa’yo. But, as usual, I ended up doing something stupid that led us to a wrong start anyway.” He was watching me intently now, like he’s a predator waiting for his prey to come closer to him. I was just now few steps away from where he was sitting. “From the very start, I’m already addicted to you.” He chuckled. “Kaya nga siguro naisip kong makipag-pustahan sa’yo noon at pilitin kitang makipag-date sa’kin eh. Although, I didn’t know we would come to this. Whenever I see you, whenever you’re around, I just smile whithout knowing why or how. You’re like a breathe of fresh air to me. I forget everything else whenever I’m with you. I’m drawn to you and I’m sorry if you got hurt with that phone call. I really didn’t want you to find out this way – about me and Lianne.” Tumayo na siya ngayon, and slowly approached me, closing in the gap between us. “Galit ka pa rin ba?” He asked in a whisper while his fingertips gently brushing my arm sending shivers all over me. “Am I really just your friend?”
I looked up at him and shook my head to tell him no.
Loooooooord, okay na po! Hahahaha. Naka-bawi na kayo agad sa’kin!!! Sabi ko na nga ba eh, hindi niyo rin ako kayang tiisin eh. Pero kung lulubos-lubosin niyo na… sino ba naman ako para tumanggi ‘di ba? Hahahaha.
“Ellie,” Sef called my name and my heart just started dancing again tapos sobrang seryoso pa ng mga titig niya. Woooh, Ellie! HINGA!!! Kaya mo ‘yan ‘te! Hinga lang!!! Breath in. Breath out.“I’m giving you ten seconds to leave this room right now.” He said, taking a step back. “I don’t think I can stop with just a kiss this time.”
ANAKSHUTA!!!
Napalunok ako!!!
Hala, Elyonor!!! Delikado ‘yan!!! Dios ko po Lord, seryoso na talaga ‘to!!! Ano pong gagawin ko???
WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! NAKAKALOKA ‘TONG SI SEEEEEEEEEEEF!!! ANIMALESSSSSSSSSS!!!
I blinked and stared at him.
He was dead serious.
BA-DUMP!!!
Hindi ako makagalaw!!! Tss. Hindi raw, sabihin mo ayaw mo lang talagang umalis!!! Hahahaha.
To be continued.